Dark Water
by princesspomegranate
Summary: An alliance between the Dark King and a water faery leads to an unexpected eternity. But no one controls where water goes, or how long they can keep it in their grasp, not even Irial. IrialxOC.
1. A Chance Encounter

There's always been much argument amongst faeries, as to which fey are the most dangerous. Almost all agree that the Dark Court holds the allegiance of the most fearsome faeries; while others argue at the singular power of the solitary fey. The Winter Court. The Summer Court. The High Court. Each Court contains some of the most deadly, powerful and most dangerous faeries in existence.

But somehow, whenever the question is asked, most faeries forget those who dwell in the water. The faeries there can be as cold and calm as Winter, as turbulent and unpredictable as Summer; and as cruel and tempting as the Dark. And land faeries seemed to forget that because they purposefully avoided the water. Barely any faery _chose_ to make contact with the water fey. _Ever._

Although there were those who were brave, curious or just stupid enough to think that meeting one of the aloof faeries would be a good idea. They were often wrong. One who was _not_ wrong, however, was the Dark King. And this particular meeting, would spark an alliance that would bond the two faeries for eternity.

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><p>Irial had been King for what mortals would consider an eternity. In reality, he had been King for only centuries. But that time had passed in the blink of an eye to Irial. That was how it always was for faeries whose lives spanned over longer stretches than human minds could even contemplate.<p>

The King of the Dark Court stepped across the manmade pathway, dust kicking up slightly with every swift movement of his feet. He moved with an unreal grace; confidence and allure exuded in his smooth walk. Beside him, yet a few steps behind, Gabriel followed.

The presence of the Hound prickled at the back of Irial's mind. It wasn't that he didn't like the Hound; in fact, he was relatively fond of him. What irritated Irial was that Gabriel was still acting _too_ protectively towards him when he was well aware that Irial had- _and_ _could_- take care of himself. He'd had no success in convincing the Hound of that as of yet, however.

A slight wind blew in their faces as they neared the water's edge, disrupting the thick fog that had long since settled in for the evening. The path they walked on trailed along the edge of the sand, the dirt mixing with the lighter granules. And Irial soon spotted her moving parallel to himself.

The faery walking at the river's edge stepped as gently and fluidly as the water her feet dipped into. And Irial would admit that she was utterly unlike any faery that he had ever seen. Though she took the solid form of a human woman- something that was a rarity amongst water fey- her skin was pale, and almost blue-tinged in colour.

She wore a dress that looked to be made of seaweed, with uneven and dark green strands trailing across the sand behind her and a bodice of it wrapped over her chest. Her hair hung down just below her revealed shoulder blades, the flow of it as seemingly rippling as that of the ocean and the colour as dark as its innermost depths.

Her lips were full, too full not to draw the eyes of anyone who caught sight of her. It was her eyes though, that were so entrancing. Too big to be human, her azure eyes were hooded slightly by a lid of sultry dark lashes. And it was quite something to say that the fey had captured the attention of the Dark King. _Which only makes her more dangerous_.

Her bright eyes flashed up to see those deep blue-black ones of his, and the faery he did not know held his gaze. She didn't look away as so many did when he stared their way. She didn't even seem perturbed. But the unknown faery _did_ pause, wrinkling her toes slightly in the sand as she stopped, water lapping around her feet.

Irial turned and took a step closer to the faery, who tilted her head slightly in response. The Dark King heard the footsteps of Gabriel behind him and raised a hand in dismissal. The leader of the Hunt stopped at the command of his King, but Irial could taste his uncertainty at the sight of Irial approaching the water fey. And he could hear the low growl coming from the back of his guard's throat.

"_Gabriel_," Irial said, the warning clear in his voice.

The Hound was _not_ pleased, but he did as he was ordered and stayed where he was while Irial continued toward the female faery. The water shifted over her feet in the undulating waves, but Irial stopped before he reached the water's edge. Irial said nothing as he paused, just out of the faery's reach. One of her thin, dark eyebrows rose as he stopped though.

"Smart move, land fey," she said, her voice smooth and all too alluring.

"Most would agree," Irial replied.

"Most in your position would be dead already," she calmly retorted.

A loud growl echoed from behind Irial, and the Dark King didn't have to turn to taste Gabriel's anger. The peculiar thing was, however, that Irial couldn't taste _anything_ from the faery before him; which meant that she was incredibly skilled in concealing her emotions. The Hunt inspired fear in all fey, and that she gave no reaction to Gabriel's growl only intrigued Irial further.

"Not too friendly, is he?" the female faery asked, blinking her dark lashes in Irial's direction.

Irial did not answer for some time, not taking his eyes from hers, before eventually answering, "No."

"I've never met a Hound before; are they all _so_..." she trailed off, her voice edged with an almost wondering tone.

And as she paused, the faery allowed a sliver of emotion to pass through the wall she'd built to hide them from him. _Curiosity._ Irial could taste the emotion from her, and couldn't help but wonder why this faery was so interested in Gabriel. _Then again_, he reasoned, _water fey always have been a mystery to other fey_.

"They are," Irial answered.

She frowned slightly, as if that wasn't quite the answer that she'd been seeking.

"That's... _interesting_," she replied quietly.

A long silence, that somehow did not seem awkward, echoed between them until she spoke again.

"My father was a Hound," she said, feigning disinterest.

It seemed that it was Irial's turn to raise an eyebrow. _Part water fey, part _Hound_?_ Irial thought. _That _is _interesting._ The choice of meeting this particular faery was turning out to be all the more fascinating by the second.

"By the name of?" Irial asked, hiding his own curiosity from his voice.

The faery before him shrugged, waves of dark hair slipping from where they rested on her shoulder.

"I don't know. My mother never knew either. As I understand it, he died moments after my conception," she answered, something almost wistful in her tone.

Faeries couldn't lie; so both Irial and Gabriel knew that she spoke the truth. And Irial found himself briefly wondering if this faery possessed any of the qualities of a Hound as well as that of the water fey. For she certainly carried the cruelty and seemingly uncaring aloofness of the water faeries.

"Do you have a name?" Irial asked when the silence between them grew almost too long.

"I do," she answered simply.

It seemed that she, like most other fey, was not eager to answer direct questions. The female faery tilted her head to the side and again and stared directly at Irial.

"Are you asking what it is?" she questioned him.

"Perhaps," Irial answered, a sort of smirk crossing his face.

A laugh broke free of her too-full lips, the sound of it almost musical and very much distracting. To any human, it would have been mesmerising. Even to faery ears, it was beautiful.

"And what would my name mean to you?" she asked, a dazzling smile still lingering on her lips.

"Nothing of consequence," Irial replied.

"A mere curiosity?"

Irial didn't answer that question with words, and, instead, he let his trademark tempting, yet wicked, smile twist his lips.

Her eyes seemed to spark, glisten almost as the ocean did, when she answered, "Dee."

"Dee," Irial repeated, sounding the name out as if to taste how it sounded on his tongue.

"Am I to hear your name in return?" she asked when Irial did not offer his.

Amusement lit his blue-black eyes as the Dark King wondered what giving Dee his name might be worth. And as he considered withholding that information longer just to test her reaction.

When he gave her no reply, Dee narrowed her eyes at him and said, "Suddenly not so talkative."

Quietly, in a voice that could be seen as almost menacing, she added, "I could _make_ you tell me."

Irial stared at her, but the wicked smile remained in his expression. But it was Gabriel's loud growl that caught both faeries' attentions. And the reason that the loud and aggressive growl had both of their eyes turn to the Hound was because it came from much closer than it should have. Because Gabriel quickly stood between his King and the faery threatening him. Dee grinned, baring her teeth at the Hound, who returned the gesture tenfold.

"He's angry," she observed to Irial.

"I'd very much like to have some fun with him," she commented as she flashed another almost-threatening grin in Gabriel's direction.

As much as the idea appealed to all involved, Irial put a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. But the Hound did not move until Irial spoke his name once more. Grudgingly, the Hound stepped aside, leaving the female faery standing before the Dark King once more. Only air and the slight mist blew between them.

"As much as I'd love to see _that_; I am Irial, King of the Dark Court," he answered eventually.

Something familiar flashed in her eyes. Something of a vivid green. _Obviously there _is _some of the Hunt in her_, Irial thought. There was something odd in her expression then too though that Irial could not read- and without her releasing her emotions to him- he had no idea what that expression meant.

"The Dark King," she said, sounding his title just as he had on learning her name.

Irial tilted his head in acknowledgement and waited for the water faery to continue. Her tongue slid lightly over her bottom lip, wetting the soft surface as she considered the faery in front of her.

"And I thought you were just another Gancanagh," she murmured to herself.

"I see why your... _friend_ here is so protective of you," she commented finally.

"What I _don't_ understand is why you're talking to me. As a King, this is probably not your wisest move."

Irial could feel the agreement in the Hound at his side as he answered, "Perhaps... Or perhaps it was wiser than one might think."

One of her eyebrows lifted at the comment, but Dee said nothing.

"We might do better discussing this elsewhere," Irial put forward.

"Maybe," she answered aloofly.

"Though I do wonder what it is that we might be... _discussing_..." she added, trailing off suggestively.

"I think we might both find benefit from an extended meeting."

She did not look totally convinced by that; not that Irial had expected her to.

"I think we have the potential to learn a lot from each other," he added eventually.

Dee stared at him with those huge azure eyes, blinking her dark lashes at him.

"Ah, but you see, _here_ I am safe. Why would I just leave here with a land fey that I do not know the intentions of? _Especially_ one of the Dark Court," she began reasoning.

"_King_ of the Dark Court," Irial put in.

"You aren't helping your case," she commented.

"Aren't water fey supposed to be impulsive?" Irial asked, raising both eyebrows at her.

The question brought her dazzling smile back to grace her lips, so much so that her eyes were lit with glistening sparks again.

"Sometimes," she almost-laughed.

"I could make _you_," Irial smirked, repeating the threat that she had earlier given him.

The smile remained on her face as she replied, "And how are you going to do that, land King?"

"I _am_ a regent."

"Ah, but you're not _my_ regent," Dee retorted calmly.

"Why not?" Irial asked, gluing her eyes to his.

"Your father was a Hound. You'd find welcome in my Court, I'm sure."

Dee eyed him suspiciously for a moment.

"And I wouldn't get hurt?" the female faery asked cautiously.

"_That_ I cannot promise," Irial replied.

"My Court is one of dangerous pleasures."

Beside him, Gabriel grinned; his white teeth gleaming in Dee's direction. Her eyes flickered to the Hound's expression before returning to settle on the Dark King.

"Good," she replied.

"It'd be no fun otherwise."

Irial's dark gaze lit up at that comment, and his wicked smile turned the corners of his lips upward.

"You're so sure that you'll be safe?" Irial asked, testing to see some of the fear that she should have felt at the prospect of visiting the heart of the Dark Court.

"I can take care of myself," she answered.

"In _and_ out of the water," she added slyly, her eyes almost flashing with that vivid green colour that he was so familiar with.

"Indeed," Irial said, slightly amused.

Wind picked up around them, catching at Dee's hair and rippling the dark tendrils slightly. She turned to face the wind, feeling its soft touches caress her skin. And she stepped backward, further into the water, as if she intended to leave. Though something made Dee pause, and she turned back to face the two Dark Court fey standing in the sand.

"And how should I find you... should I want to?" Dee added as if to hold to the mysterious image she was portraying for them.

At that though, Irial winked at her and answered, "Ask around."

Dee rolled her eyes at the Dark King and had to hold back an uncharacteristic frown.

"If you think _your_ faeries have a reputation, you know nothing about water fey. We are, without a doubt, some of the most avoided faeries in existence. No one seems to trust us- probably for good reason. But still, who is it that you think that I might ask?"

"You'll find someone if you really want to find me," Irial replied.

"There _is _an easier way, you know," Dee pointed out before Irial and Gabriel could leave.

"Oh really?" Irial asked, reminding himself to be patient with the enigmatic water faery; reminding himself to play along with her little games as he had been doing.

"And that is?"

"A kiss," she replied bluntly, a crooked smile turning her lips.

"One kiss and I'll be able to find you anywhere."

"Ah, but now you seem to be taking me for some sort of fool, my dear," Irial answered, still remaining out of her reach.

She tilted her head at the faery before her in mock innocence.

"Not so. Though I'll admit that you're smarter than most I've come across," she confessed.

"Smart enough to require a vow from you before I allow any such thing."

Dee quirked an eyebrow at him as she murmured, "Smart enough indeed... What vow is it that you'd intend for me to make, Dark King?"

Faery vows were complicated things. They weren't often offered and they had to be _very _specific. If there were any loopholes, or if there was any chance of finding a way around their promise, a faery would find it. And that was why, when Irial spoke of the vow that he required, he was certain of exactly what he wanted from the water faery.

"You will never communicate your ability to locate me or make anyone aware of that fact. You will never use that connection to lead any other to me should they harbour any ill will towards me. And you shall never seek me out should _you_ harbour any ill will toward me."

The female faery stared at him, but quickly gave a nod.

"You have my vow," she replied, meeting Irial's eyes once more.

"Satisfied?" she asked.

"Not yet," Irial replied, flashing his wicked smirk in her direction.

"A kiss it is then," he continued.

"Once you step out of the water, that is."

Dee grinned at him and whispered, "And smarter still, Dark King."

Though she did step out of the water and onto the drier sand beside Irial. She placed her hands on her hips, resting them lightly there on her seaweed dress, as she unconsciously pushed her hips in Irial's direction. Her waves of dark hair had fallen over one shoulder now, leaving the other shoulder completely bare.

The draw of her skin and her very posture exuded a certain allure that made it very easy for Irial to see why Dee was so dangerous. And she stood there, waiting expectantly for him; and looking all the more tempting for it.

Even with her emotions so closely guarded from him, Irial could see that he was having the same effect on her as she was on him. In truth, Dee had been finding it very hard to keep her distance from the Dark King for so long. Because Irial _was_ temptation incarnate _and_ extremely hard to resist- which was exactly why Dee was glad that she didn't have to.

She took a step closer to the Dark King, closing the small gap between them. But Dee left it up to Irial to further their agreement. And the Dark King had no reservations as he bent his neck to brush his lips over hers in a gentle touch that carried the promise of _so_ much more.

Dee tilted her head forward, pressing her lips to Irial's and finally quenching the desire she'd had to do so since she'd first laid eyes on the faery King. Their kiss felt as if it lasted longer than the mere minutes it did in reality. Though the two faeries did not realise it; for their kiss was all-encompassing. With two faeries born to tempt others joining together, neither had expected the seemingly obvious and overwhelming sensation that rippled through them.

Out of surprise, Dee finally let her emotions free of the prison she'd been hiding them from him in. Her emotions flooded into Irial; and he could taste them just as intensely as he could taste her. Excitement. Lust. Curiosity. _No fear_, he thought casually, wondering after the one emotion that he had expected to find hidden under her unfathomable surface.

Dee soon pulled back from him sharply though, her azure eyes glaring intently at the King of the Dark Court. Irial only had a wicked smile to give back to her as he touched a finger lightly to his lips, wiping a droplet there into a smear on his fingertip. A _blood red_ smear.

Dee didn't have to check to be sure of what he'd done; she could taste the blood in her mouth. _Her _blood. The Dark King had just bitten her lip hard enough to draw blood that he could use to his advantage. _Smart faery indeed_, she thought.

"It seems only fair that I should be able to find you too," Irial commented before running his tongue over the remainder of her blood that still stained his lips.

She stared at him seriously, and looked as if she was about to say something. Dee seemed to change her mind though and simply stepped back into the water, letting it lap around her feet once more.

"Until next time, Dark King," she whispered, breathing in a deep gulp of air.

And then she was gone; her body no longer corporal in form as she became water and disappeared into the river at their feet. With no remaining sign of Dee, save for the slightly smaller footsteps in the sand, the Dark King grinned and walked away from the water's edge.

He found himself closely followed by Gabriel, as he had expected he would be. And, as it was, neither spoke for a time. Irial could tell that the Hound was clearly unimpressed with what had just taken place- and there was no need for him to voice such feelings to his King.

"Well, that was... _interesting_," Irial remarked eventually, making himself unnecessarily invisible to Unsighted eyes as they headed back to the mist-shrouded path.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Firstly, I really hope you liked this, I've had this in my head for quite a while and finally got around to writing it. :)<strong>

**But I'll warn you now- I'm **_**horrible**_** at updating, simply because I now have seven **_**unfinished**_** chapter stories on the go at once. So curse my inability to stop the plot bunnies breeding, and not me, please... But I do have the plot for this story all mapped out, so that should help make me update a bit quicker. :)**

**Please do let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	2. Surprising Traits

Dee strolled up to the building; her body held with purpose, yet still, her movements were fluid and seamless. It was more of a hall than an average building, tall and grand; made of wood, yet strangely infused with lines of steel that stopped all but the strongest of faeries from acting out.

Even though the building was so large, there was no life teeming around it. Humans unconsciously avoided the place, and it was no surprise to Dee why. The large congregation of Dark Court fey would be enough to send any human running despite their being unaware of the faeries' presence. Even faeries of other Courts shied away from such a place.

The Dark Court did not bother Dee, however- not much _did_ bother her. Intrigue was a different matter. In her time, Dee had come across a number of Dark Court faeries; she killed a fair number too. But they always had intrigued her. More so than those of the Summer and Winter Courts, Dark fey were always more... _interesting_.

As she approached the building, Dee could feel as well as see the blatant and obvious stares of those faeries lingering just outside of their Court. It was almost amusing to watch how they looked at her, and the emotions that flowed over their features without them even trying to disguise such things.

Dee paused at the large doors that were the entrance to the home of the Dark Court. A figure had stepped between her and the wooden doors before her fingers could even brush against the wood. A figure that she recognised.

"_You_," Gabriel growled, his eyes flashing a familiar shade of green.

The Hound clearly did not welcome her presence, regardless of the deal that Dee and his King had made.

"You," she replied simply, her eyes mimicking the gesture.

Silence swallowed the words between them then, and all that was left were the two of them staring at each other in a way that many would consider hostile.

"I'm here to see _him_," Dee said eventually, breaking the echoing nothingness that had stretched for far too long a time.

"He knows," Gabriel replied, holding out an arm so that Dee could see the instructions plainly inked into his skin.

She had to stop the smirk from rising to her lips. _So he's expecting me?_ Dee thought, also trying to stop her brows from rising. And the written instructions on Gabriel's arm told her that he was to escort her to the Dark King. The Hound did not wait for Dee's response before grudgingly turning and pushing open one of the doors behind him.

Dee stared at his back, and with a blink of her too-large eyes, followed after him. She had to walk quickly, no hard feat for a fey, to match his stride; but she was soon beside him as he led her through the main Hall of the Dark Court. Dee couldn't help but look around at the congregation of faeries that had paused in whatever actions they were partaking in, to watch Gabriel leading a Water faery through the heart of their Court.

They all knew the mystery and oddity surrounding those fey that lived in the water. That was why it was so unexpected that one was walking through their Court willingly. Even more of a surprise was that they could sense that she was more curious than anything; certainly not afraid at least.

"You don't like me," Dee said plainly.

She wasn't offended by it, and it wasn't an accusation. She'd said it as a simple truth and an effort at conversation. An effort that she found that Gabriel was unwilling to return. One that he would not, even if he could, lie in response to. This Water faery could pose a threat to his King; _of course_ he didn't _like_ her.

"I very much would enjoy a chance at fighting you," Dee put forward, her eyes flickering back to the Hound for a moment.

The corner of Gabriel's lips turned upward as he eventually answered, "It would be... Interesting."

She flashed a grin at him, but it didn't linger.

"Too bad Iri's forbidden it."

Dee frowned at him then, a little disappointed that she wasn't going get her wish of creating some sort of disturbance with the Hound.

"Too bad, indeed," she assented.

They came to another set of doors at the end of the long hall. Apparently, whatever meeting she was to have with the Dark King would take place away from the staring eyes of those faeries in the Dark Court. Gabriel didn't knock or wait for anyone to invite them inside; the orders written clearly on his arms negated any necessity for such a thing.

Dee followed the Hound inside the adjoining room and her eyes flickered around the room quickly as she stepped inside. Filled to the brim with extravagantly beautiful and dark furnishings, shadows clung to everything. But that only made the room more eerily beautiful.

In the corner of the room, reclining in a tall, dark and velvety chair she saw him. The faery King that had struck up the meeting that no one could have predicted would actually come to pass. And Dee couldn't help but stare unabashedly at him with those huge, azure eyes.

He wore a silk shirt that remained half open and unbuttoned, revealing most of his chest. And his dark trousers disappeared into even darker knee-high boots. Irial really _was_ stunning; the picture of allure. And definitely as tempting as he had been that day by the water's edge; perhaps, even more so.

Dee didn't fail to notice as Irial's eyes trailed over her, just as hers had over his; and her body unconsciously shifted into a more provocative position. Irial's brows rose at the sight of her slight movement and he gave her an almost tantalising smirk.

The shirt she wore could hardly be referred to as a _shirt_. Made of thin material that hung around her neck, it dipped just far enough to hide the swell of her breasts. The slightly fringed bottom of it was midriff-baring, dangling down like an arrow that pointed to her navel and flat stomach.

Dee's skirt hung from her wide hips, so long that it brushed the floor. The material glistened like cascading water, almost as if it was made of it; that is, aside from one long slit that parted it, following the pale blue skin of her right leg to mid thigh.

Irial's eyes flashed to Gabriel for a moment before settling back on the Water faerie once again. The Hound at her side merely rolled his eyes before reluctantly turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

He hadn't wanted to leave; but Irial had commanded him to do so once he had escorted the water faery to him. That didn't stop him from waiting directly outside of the door in case he _was_ needed though.

There was a silence that grew following the absence of the Hound, but it wasn't awkward. It merely stood between the two fey as Dee waited for the Dark King to speak.

"_Well_;" he started, his voice smooth.

"I didn't expect to see you again... so soon," Irial added, unable to leave off the end of the sentence; unable to lie.

"And yet you _were_ expecting me," Dee returned, a small smile gracing her beautiful features.

"Naturally," he answered as his own smirk grew.

"And one wonders how that is..." she said, blinking her luscious lashes at him.

"_You_ may not technically be one of my fey, but many others _are_."

"Hm," was the only response that Dee gave to that admission.

So instead, Irial said, "You are very brave to come here; alone."

"You told me I'd be welcome in your Court, remember?"

"Ah, but I did warn you that it could be dangerous also. And you don't even seem to be attempting to be cautious."

Dee paused, considering the Dark King for a moment.

"Well, it's not really reckless endangerment if you know that you can get out alright."

_How bold_, he thought. Irial opened his mouth to respond, but Dee continued before he could speak.

"But it wouldn't be any fun without at least a _slight_ element of danger, would it?"

"No; I daresay not," Irial replied, dark shadows flickering in his eyes.

"So, Dark King-" she started after a moment's silence.

"Perhaps it would be better if you called me Iri," he interrupted, cutting her words short slightly.

Dee blinked, one of her eyebrows rising as she stared at him.

"First name terms with the Dark King?" she murmured, testing the words on her tongue.

"Well, we are connected in _far_ stronger ways."

"True," she admitted quietly.

"I think that a name may not matter so much between us now."

"Alright _Iri;_ so now that you have me here, what is it that you intend for us to... _discuss_," Dee asked, her lips turning upward into a smirk.

Irial's own, wicked smile crossed his face at that. _So, so bold_, he thought tasting some of the emotion that she let free from the wall she'd barred them behind. He found himself once more sure that speaking with Dee at the water's edge would not be something he regretted- even if she did turn out to be simply a Water fey with Hounds' eyes.

"I think that I would like to know more about you."

"_Really_? And why would you want to know something like that?" she replied coyly.

The shadows in his eyes seemed to dance then. Her persistent, falsely-demure questionings were as just another game to him; one that he was enjoying playing.

"Maybe I'm curious," Irial finally answered, the half-truth slipping easily from his lips.

One of her eyebrows rose, but the Dark King mentioned nothing of it.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Irial continued, gesturing to a chair on his right.

Dee merely smiled slightly as she stepped toward the chair and settled herself lightly into it. She seemed to sink so gracefully into the chair, swiftly folding one long and slender leg over the other. And she didn't fail to notice how the Dark King's eyes lingered on the skin that the slit in her skirt revealed.

"So, am I to understand, Iri, that you are only interested in my being here so that you can discover what traits I've inherited from my mixed parentage?" Dee asked.

There was something in her voice as she'd said that put Irial on notice; if he gave the wrong answer, then she might just be prepared to walk away then and there. Fey cannot lie; but, fortunately for Irial, he did not need to lie to provide the answer that Dee wished to hear. Or that he was almost certain that she wanted him to reply with.

"It's not the only reason," he said simply.

Dee's expression remained the same for a moment, her emotions once again hidden away; giving the Dark King no indication as to her reaction to his words. Until her eyes seemed to flash that bright and familiar green colour, only for a second, and an almost satisfied smirk settled on her face.

"Well then, I can see that this meeting could possibly turn out quite positively for both of us," she replied eventually, a tone of almost-amusement in her voice.

"What is it that you want to know about me exactly?"

Irial was curious as to how readily the fey was prepared to reveal information about herself to a regent not technically her own, but he held the surprise back from his expression. Water fey were curious and unpredictable. One never could tell what they would or would not say or do.

"Perhaps we should begin with things that you know you inherited from your mother; and _then_ move on to your... _other_ traits."

Dee blinked and nodded.

"That way you can confirm for me if I inherited those things from my father or not," she put in, eagerness fringing the edges of her voice.

Irial paused for a moment before asking, "You really know nothing about Hounds?"

The faery's brow creased slightly into a frown as she replied, "Like I said, I'd never met one before your Gabriel. And my kind aren't exactly good at noticing things about the other fey they meet just before they kill them."

"Indeed," Irial answered quietly.

"Before I begin; I would ask that nothing I say leaves this room without my permission?" Dee found herself asking when the silent contemplativeness that Irial had almost lapsed into lasted just a little too long.

"Likewise," the Dark King answered, bowing his head to her.

An almost-smile played on her lips as Dee took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I'm a Siren."

"A Siren?" Irial questioned, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Like the Greek myth."

"I'm aware of what you meant; however, I do recall the Sirens in the myth to have been described as rather less..."

Dee smiled at that, understanding what the Dark King meant as he gestured at her with his hand.

"Most of us are a lot more attractive than the humans give us credit for... Their perceptions are always a little... _distorted_," she finished, waving off what the humans referred to her kind as.

"Anyway; being a Siren effectively makes me the Water fey equivalent of a Gancanagh. Both males and females are attracted to me; entranced by my _voice_ particularly. The slight difference, however, is that I'm only _addictive_ to human males."

Irial's brows rose slightly, but he said nothing, allowing her to continue.

"Apart from that, you are quite aware of the other things that I inherited from my mother; being able to find you anywhere after a simple kiss, using the water to my advantage," she finished abruptly almost, and on that last point, she refused to elaborate.

"I can only satiate my hunger through touch; something I _know_ that I do not share with my mother and her family."

There, she paused, as if waiting for Irial to confirm or deny her suspicion that that came from her father.

"A feature you _do_ share with the Hunt."

Dee's eyes flashed green at the information, prompting Irial to continue, "As is the way that your eyes shine green."

"I've always wondered about that, you know... Hm," she finished lightly, her tone musing.

A silence stretched between them, and the female faery seemed to be lost in her thoughts. Her fingers tapped gentlyat her knee where she had crossed her arms over herself.

"Anything else, my dear?" Irial asked, causing her eyes to flicker back to his.

And, only for a moment, he saw an emotion in her eyes that she tried so hard to mask away. Only for a moment, he felt an emotion slip free to him. _She's nervous?_ Irial thought, almost confused at the sudden change in the faery before him.

"I inspire a number of emotions in both humans and fey alike..." Dee said, before pausing.

"Hounds inspire fear in all; I suspect the _other_ emotions you arouse are inherited from your mother."

Dee didn't fail to notice the word he'd used to describe the emotions that she brought out in both mortals and fey alike. So she didn't even try to hold back the smirk from her lips.

"So am I right in assuming that Hounds can collect the emotions they stir as well?" she asked.

Irial paused, one brow rising as he looked at the faery before him.

"That, my dear, is _not_ something a Hound can do," he replied, numerous thoughts running through his mind at once.

Dee frowned, her brow creasing as she turned her eyes away from him. Clearly, her ability to collect emotions had not been passed down by her mother either.

"There must be a purpose to your ability to collect emotions," Irial mused, trying to entice an answer from her.

"I... Well," she paused, smiling slightly to herself.

"I have been known to use them as an aphrodisiac."

Irial's eyes sparked at the comment, but he said nothing.

"Otherwise, I've found no real use for them," Dee finished eventually.

"You know, Dee, I think we may be able to help each other."

"Oh?" Dee asked, her frown less prominent as she leaned forward, intrigued.

"The Dark Court can help you understand the Hound side of your heritage; _if_ you agree to help us."

Dee tilted her head at Irial.

"And this '_help_'; what exactly would it entail me doing?"

Irial's wicked smile came to his lips, marking him as all too alluring and dangerous.

"Oh, I can think of a number of things."

Dee paused, running her tongue over her bottom lip, wetting the skin there in a way that many would consider seductive.

"I can't stay here..." she warned.

"Perhaps just become a friend to the Dark Court- a very _good_ friend, mind. Stay under our protection for your services."

Dee smirked.

"My _services_?"

Irial couldn't help but chuckle at his own choice of words; and the fact that Dee really did have no idea what she was getting herself in for. And how readily she was flirting with danger in all of its forms; both with him _and_ his Court.

"I'll consider your offer... Until next time, Iri," she answered eventually.

And with that, Dee unfolded her legs, stood and left the room with a surprising swiftness and grace. Irial couldn't help but watch the sway of her hips as she disappeared; and he couldn't help but notice the small smirk that she flashed his way over her shoulder before the door closed behind her again.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Hi guys, if you're reading this, well I'm glad 'cus it means that you bothered to get to the end, which hopefully means that you like it... Anyways, I appear to be rambling. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, I did warn you about my awful updating record. : But, the good news is that I keep getting more and more ideas for this story (bad news is that all these bits are for later in the story :/).**

**So, anyway, I hope you liked it, and please do let me know what you think! :)**

**Kit xx**


	3. Finding A Solution

Dee, of course, accepted the Dark King's offer. She really did not have all that much to consider when she'd left him. It was just part of the game she was playing; it was just in her nature. Over the years, when Irial had called for her, Dee had most often come, sometimes she'd even arrived before she had been contacted.

It hadn't taken Irial all that long to begin his experiments. Dee had agreed to them being carried out, and she had no qualms about letting Irial try to uncover the mystery that was her ability to collect emotions.

They had begun with small things. With humans. Sometimes she had just to walk past them, letting her image; her body, her _appeal_, do everything for her. Other times, Irial had her sing, calling helpless victims her way and igniting powerful emotions inside them.

Once, even, the Dark King had brought her along to one of the Dark Court's feasts, not merely to see how the assembled reacted; but also to see how much emotion that Dee could take in before needing an outlet for it.

As it turned out, the experiments had been rather successful, with Dee's talents surpassing what Irial had originally assumed they might be. Her capacity to carry the emotions inside her was quite astounding. In any faery that fed off of emotion, they would have been sustained- drunk on it, even- for years if they could harness what Dee could collect in one sitting.

But, as of yet, Irial was still working on a plan that would enable him to use Dee's abilities to his Courts advantage. So when she came to him, responding to one of the fey messengers that he'd sent to look for her, Irial couldn't hold back his smirk.

If all went as Irial thought it would, then this meeting would be their most successful one yet.

Dee walked into Irial's home, the setting of their last few meetings, without need of an escort. Irial had long since convinced Gabriel that Dee was not as much of a threat as the Hound seemed to think. As she stepped through the dark-wood door, she was greeted with the sight of the Dark King seated languorously in one of the beautifully decorated rooms.

"Iri," she said in greeting.

"Dee," he nodded in return.

"You've been well?"

"Enough," she answered; her reply as mysterious as ever.

"And you?"

"The same," Irial replied, just as vaguely.

"So what has it been? A year?"

The question was pointless. Both of them knew exactly how long it had been since last they met, and they both had no problem recalling the instance. However, in this case, neither of the two fey in question had any business answering directly. To do so would only be unnatural to them.

Which is why Dee answered, "Give or take a few months."

Irial simply nodded to her reply.

"And you've been well," he said under his breath.

To that it was Dee's turn to nod. All of this talk was really just a formality; a prequel to their next impending test. But again, both fey were determined to play along.

"No trouble with your Court?" she asked, knowing full well that Irial would not answer that particular question seriously.

He never had.

"Only that which we provoke," he smirked in return.

"Lucky," Dee replied, an air of wistfulness in her voice.

But it wasn't the wistfulness that made Irial pause; it was the small sliver of conflicted emotion oozing from the female fey.

"Care to explain?" he enquired, aware that she had purposefully released those emotions to him.

He had long since informed her of his ability to taste emotions; to feed from them. Information for information; she had opened up to him and both saw it as only fair that he do the same. Though Irial had still taken her vow of silence in regard to such knowledge. He wasn't stupid.

"I have problems of my own right now, Iri," Dee said, almost as if she was reluctant to admit such a thing to the Dark King.

Irial tilted his head to the side curiously at the water faery. For as long as they had been meeting, with the exception of the first time she'd come to the Dark Court, Dee had not said a word about her life outside their experiments. Not one word. _It must be serious for her to bring the matter to me_, Irial thought, fighting back a frown.

"Care to expand upon that?"

Her eyes flickered over to him, for a second betraying a conflict that she was so trying to hide, yet she so wanted him to know. Dee thought extremely carefully about her reply. Whatever she said next could make so much difference. It could mean the beginning or end of the things that she was just coming to know.

A memory hit her then, of what the other water fey had said to her. Of when they had cornered her and questioned her actions. Of when they had almost immediately condemned her. _"You must not help the bestia,"_ they had said. And Dee understood that well enough.

However, in her more-knowing eyes, the Dark Court was not _just_ the _bestia._ It was so much more. Irial waited patiently, even though he was quite sure that whatever Dee was thinking about was troubling her greatly because it forced her thin brows into angry angles.

Finally, she spoke up, "In short, I have to stop trying to help you and your Court... Or I have to leave; and if I do I can't go back."

There was an edge of pain in her voice; one that Irial had never expected to hear from Dee. It almost confused him. And, for her part, Dee didn't know what reply she expected from Iri; what she wanted him to say. If it even mattered. She just wanted him to say... _something_. In this case, the silence was almost _killing_ her; as was the masked expression on the Dark King's face.

Irial remained silent for a moment, though he very much wanted to understand her reasoning behind informing him of her _choice_ and not just her decision.

"I take it, then, that you've brought this to me because I have some hope of not losing you to the water fey again?"

His voice was serious and almost caught Dee off guard. She merely tilted her head to the side though as the tiniest smile caught her lips. Taking her expression as an answering 'yes', Irial continued.

"So what, exactly, would keeping you entail?"

Her eyebrows rose at the Dark King's possessive words, but when his expression remained masked, she said nothing. And when the silence between the became too heavy, Dee eventually shrugged, not knowing how to answer his question.

"I don't know, Iri... It's more than a hard decision..." she admitted.

"_More_ than hard?" Irial enquired, suddenly almost smirking at the female fey before him.

He hadn't known that she had quite so enjoyed herself with him and his Court; but the fey were incapable of lying. Which meant that Dee really _was_ torn about leaving.

"They _are_ my people; my _Court_-" Dee started reasoning before she found herself interrupted.

"So are _we_."

Dee blinked as Irial's dark eyes stared at her pointedly. _She just needs a _reason_ to stay_, Irial thought as he felt a mixture of surprise and _hope_ filter through the barrier that she put up.

"Why don't you stay? Become a true part of the Dark Court," he suggested, his voice deadly serious despite his smirk.

Dee froze, standing so still that even her over-large eyes did not blink at him. The Dark King watched the female fey that was already half truly a part of his Court carefully. He had made his offer; had placed his bid. He could only hope that it would be enough.

Finally, Dee seemed to snap out of her trance; her all-encompassing thoughts, and answered, "I do not help _her_."

Irial's brow creased as he tried to figure out who Dee meant.

After a moment of silence, he finally asked, "Who?"

"The _bestia_," Dee replied, her voice almost a hiss.

_Ah_, Irial thought, finally understanding. _Bananach._ It made sense. Her objection was well made. Irial remembered when he had brought her to one of the Dark Court's feasts and the water fey had caught sight of the raven-woman. It hadn't been pleasant; so Irial had kept them at a distance from each other and later asked for an explanation- not that taking a dislike to Bananach ever actually needed a reason.

Now, Irial simply shook his head and replied, "No one does if they can help it... But you accept?"

A smile turning her beautiful lips, Dee gave the Dark King a single nod. His smirk growing, Irial stood from his seat and took a step closer to the fey that was now his.

"It's more fun here... Besides, I was already trying to help you anyway-"

"What you're agreeing to here is to _follow_ and _obey_, Dee," Irial interrupted, making sure to clarify that information, as her life would be much different in his Court to how it had been in her previous one.

Dee blinked her large, azure eyes at the Dark King twice before answering, "I know."

"So you realise that you are pledging your allegiance to me and the Dark Court?"

A strange sort of grin caught her expression and she nodded to him.

"Good, because I _think_ that I've figured out how we can use your _talents_ to provide sustenance for my Court- _our_ Court."

Replacing the strange expression she wore, Dee flashed Irial that dazzling, wide smile of hers once more.

"It would require a more open-mind than usual," he warned.

"When have I _ever_ not been open-minded, Iri?" Dee teased, her voice sounding suddenly a lot brighter than it had done earlier in their conversation.

"You have a point," Irial smirked.

With that, Irial took her hand in his, noticing the way that she did not think the gesture odd; or seem at all perturbed by it. And with such speed that only the fey possess, Irial pulled her towards him and crushed his lips to hers.

He'd admit that he'd been more than tempted in their past meetings. She was a force that drew even the Dark King to her. And Irial needed lust for his own hunger; to keep his Court happy and well sustained as well as himself. Yes, he _had_ been looking forward to putting this plan into practice since the day that the idea had come to him.

For a _long_ moment, Dee lost herself in the touch of his lips before sharply pushing back from him and asking questioningly, "Iri?"

She needn't have spoken, because she understood immediately what his meaning was when she saw his eyes. And she couldn't have spoken again, because his lips were once more upon hers.

After a time, they pulled back from each other, and Irial immediately noticed that her expression mimicked his. With an almost wicked smirk aimed only for him, Dee fingered the silk edge of the Dark King's shirt.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," Irial admitted, breathing in the emotions that she was now so freely allowing him.

"Oh, I think I might have _some_ idea," she grinned in return, her voice a mere whisper.

**Author's Note: QUESTION- how far should I take this? As in, would you like me to go into a lemon, or just leave it as it is?**

**Aside from that, I hope you like it; and, as always, sorry for the long stretch between updates- if you're reading this, then you're awesome. :)**

**Oh and if anyone's interested, I drew Dee (not too well mind); but you can find it here: http:/*princesspomegranate.*deviantart.*com/#/d4fsu74 just remove the ***

**Kit xx**


	4. A Feast Of Flesh And Feeling

**Author's Note: Warning, lemon.**

**Kit xx**

* * *

><p>His lips found hers again quickly and he pressed desire into her. There was need in the kiss; Dee could feel it. And she could also feel the way that his lips moved expertly against her own. Irial had never before witnessed the fey-woman feed; she had always done that when she was out of his Court, with some miscellaneous human or fey. But he was feeding her need for touch right now and he knew that she was revelling in it. He could see it in her eyes.<p>

Dee let a measure of her own feeling slip through her guard. She let him have her lust. Her want. Her need. She knew that he could feel it. It was sustaining him just as his touch was to her. Tit for tat. A veritable feast of flesh and feeling for just the two of them to absorb.

She felt his tantalisingly soft fingers run across her bare back. Though this had not been in her mind when she had dressed, how she did not regret the choice of wearing a backless, floor-length dress to meet the Dark King that day. Her hands pressed against his chest, that smooth, silk shirt pinned between her skin and his, blocking her from him.

Irial was already loving this plan more and more with every touch. Resisting Dee had been so hard in the past. But now she was his fey. And she was his. She would come to him whenever he wished it from now on; but they both knew that this was just as much her choice as it was his. And they both knew that she would never deny his request.

Irial's lips left hers for a moment and he stared into her eyes. Azure with a flash of that oh-so-familiar green. Whatever the colour, he could still read her pleasure, the lust she was freely granting him access to. The Dark King's hand slid to her waist and he pressed her closer to him- pressed her hips closer to him.

Dee stared at him for a moment and let slip more of her own emotion. Curiosity. Excitement. She wondered just how far Irial intended to take this. Not that she wasn't enjoying herself- she just wondered exactly how excited she should be getting right now. He flashed her a wicked grin.

Using his leverage on her waist, he pulled her out of the room and into an adjoining corridor. In a quick movement, one only capable from the fey, Dee found her back was pressed against the wall of the corridor, Irial's body pinning her there. He kissed her again, drinking in her deep breaths. Her lust, her want, was so sweet to him; like a nectar he'd been waiting so long to taste.

And she returned his kisses in kind, revelling in the feel of his lips, his body against hers. Dee bit down sharply on his lip, her teeth drawing some blood. He groaned, and she knew that it wasn't painful for him, but Irial still pulled his mouth back and looked at her questioningly for a second.

"A little payback for last time," she said, grinning at him.

He smirked and shifted his attention from her lips. _Payback indeed. _He would teach her the meaning of payback before this night was through. He pressed kisses to her jaw, her neck, her shoulders, each in turn a tantalising taste of what was to come.

Dee leant her head back against the wall, clearly relishing every touch of his lips, every torturous nip of his teeth, and every soothing swipe of his tongue that always followed. Soon her pale, almost blue-tinged skin was painted with the blood she had drawn. Irial finally pulled back and looked down, satisfied at his work.

"Red suits you," he murmured.

She didn't have time to reply before he spun her away from the wall and into another room. He let her stand in front of him there, while he pressed himself behind her, against her. Irial's hands rested on her hips, holding her in place while his lips again barraged her shoulders and neck.

She looked at the room. A bedroom, of course, complete with a huge bed framed with dark-wood posts and a set of deep-purple velvet curtains hanging from them. The sheets and pillows were made of blue-black silk sheets, the colour of the night's sky.

Dee smiled to herself. This was certainly nothing like the places that she'd been sating her hunger with the mortals had been. And it did not surprise her one bit that this was Irial's room. _King of the Dark Court indeed._

"So this is what the Dark King's bedroom looks like," Dee commented with a contented sigh.

"I find the view much improved with you in it. Although..."

His hands shifted to undo the looping material tied at her neck and, making short work of it, Dee's dress fell to the floor. The soft material pooled at her feet and she basked in its sudden absence.

"Much better," Irial whispered in her ear.

She smirked as his hands moved to her bare skin. How she loved the feel of his skin on hers, how satisfying it was. Irial's hands traced the line of her figure, playing with the her silhouette, teasing her. She sighed. He avoided any of the more sensitive parts of her body, because he was teasing her on purpose.

His intention to make her understand the true meaning of payback would work well to his advantage. Irial's hands rested on Dee's hips again and he spun her around so that she was facing him once more. He was smirking as his dark eyes trailed her body, and she let him take his time in that look.

"I think you'll find that I do not come undone as easily as my clothing," she said quietly.

He looked back up at Dee. The promise in her words made him smile.

"We shall see."

She grinned back at him; only to have the expression swallowed in another of the same passionate, and frenzied kisses that he had been waiting to instigate for so long.

Dee's hands moved across the Dark King's shirt, clutching at the material. He let her pull it up, breaking their kiss only momentarily to pull the silk garment over his head. And then her hands found his bare chest. How she'd wanted to touch him for so long; how she'd wanted to feel her skin against his. Her fingers ran over the contours of his chest, slowly tickling over his flesh.

Irial's hands travelled over her body again, the need in his touches increasing. Perhaps payback could wait. Dee's fingers pulled at the top of his trousers and he helped her get him out of them. He was glad that he had chosen to be as barefoot as she was, as he easily stepped out of the fallen material.

In their kissing, they had stepped further into the room. Irial's roaming hands paused for a moment, only so that he could push her backwards. She didn't resist; she knew what was behind her. But she did feel the strength in him as the back of her legs hit the bed when he pushed her down on it.

"So forceful, my King," she said playfully as she looked up at his standing form.

"You had better believe it," he smirked.

He leaned over her on the bed and kissed the base of her neck. Then his lips moved lower. And his hands moved too, caressing her upper body, her chest. But Dee's hands were just as active. Irial smirked to himself. He knew she'd been waiting as long to do this as he had. And how sweet it was.

What he didn't expect was for Dee to flip them over, so that she was now straddling him. He looked up at her, his head now resting on the silk sheets, and raised a brow at her. She gave him a crooked smile.

"My turn, Iri."

And she kissed him, placing her hands on either side of his face. She kept their kiss slow; made every movement languorous. She made him crave more. Irial's hands went to her hips, fingers pressing into her skin. Her mouth tormented him just as his had to her. As little as he actually knew about her, she was certainly skilled in this.

Dee shifted backwards, leaving him for a second. He looked down at her and saw that she was now balanced on her knees, over his legs. She met his eyes for a second. A flash of green in them before her attention turned south.

Her fingers grasped him, softly, lightly at first, and Irial let his head drop back to the sheets as her fingers caressed him. Running her hand up and down him, she applied the perfect pressure to her strokes. Irial closed his eyes and let the feeling of her overtake him.

Then he felt her tongue, licking out to the tip of him, swirling around the head of his shaft. And she closed her mouth around him, slowly taking all of him into her mouth. It was pure pleasure. Oh, how she knew _exactly _what she was doing. Irial thought about stopping her just before his release, but he didn't. Her mouth was just too welcoming, and she swallowed everything that he could give.

And, as soon as the Dark King recovered himself, he switched their positions again so that he was on top of her once more. His palms kneaded her breasts as his kisses tormented her neck. Eventually, his lips followed, pressing kisses to her hyper-responsive skin and, in turn, he took each of her nipples in his mouth, rolling his tongue over the sensitive nubs. Then he moved on, licking, nipping his way down her torso. He was torturously slow and she squirmed beneath him.

"I like the concept of payback. It never goes amiss," he whispered.

He had the opportunity to teach her now. Dee just rolled her eyes and let him continue. Irial's fingers traced over the inside of her thighs for the longest time, teasing her skin in light, tickling patterns. She couldn't help but shiver as he followed the exact same movements with his tongue.

He bit down sharply and Dee let out a small, pleasured cry. And then Irial's fingers and mouth found the exact place that she wanted him to, working away to the centre of her pleasure. She wriggled and her breath began to come out in short gasps. Irial held her hips to keep her still as her moans cut through the air.

He didn't even think to stop before her release though. He wanted to see what his half-water fey would do when confronted with a moment of ecstasy. She cried out and released her wall of emotion, emotionally baring herself to him, as he'd hoped she would.

Then Irial entered her slowly, slipping himself into her core. They groaned in unison at the sensation of him filling her; as they finally became one after so much teasing. Their movements were slow at first but each of his thrusts sped up over time, as did the corresponding bucking of her hips.

Irial waited until Dee was nearing her release for a second time before he said, "I want you to release everything you have in you, everything that you have collected, when the time comes."

She nodded, but didn't have the strength of mind to answer. Irial was just too damn good at that. And when her climax rocked through her once more, Dee let go of everything in one moment of pure pleasure. Irial opened himself to receive all of it, and he channelled what she gave him through to his Court in jolts.

Irial was glad that he had ensured the Court were gathered, or at least somewhere nearby, so that they could receive what Dee could give them. He could not have held it all himself- it was a wonder to him that she could.

But the Dark Court experienced everything that Dee could pass on to them, as did their King. And that moment was the first feast that would become a regular occurrence- and many of them would never know how it came to pass.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: Woah... So, it's kind of been almost a year since I've updated this fic, and I can't apologise enough. However, I am re-reading the series again now, so I should be able to get much more of this story written. :) Hope you guys liked the chapter. :)<strong>

**For now, I'm going to go to bed and get an early night for once. After ten straight hours of not being allowed to sit down and having to be insanely polite to random strangers (aka my job); I am knackered.**

**Kit xx**


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